Dear Verandah Members and Guests:
While in the process of redesigning and recoding the site we decided to take an additional step that has slowed us a bit in the short term, but that positions the site well for future enhancements. We have decided to recode the Verandah using the newly-adopted WWW standard of Extensible Markup Language (XML).
Because the vast majority of us are using Web browsers that will not readily interpret XML code, the Verandah will also be coded in HTML and all XML code will be translated into HTML "on the fly" when the pages are served to you. In the future, as you upgrade your browsers this translation will not take place. We expect that for the next year, at least, both types of code will be used in all areas of the site so that everyone can experience the same look and feel for all rooms.
If you are interested in an explanation of the benefits of using XML for the code of a site such as the Verandah, click here.
Just curious? The XML FAQ provides some introductory information regarding the new standard.
All of the new CGI scripts that will be in place at the Verandah are now complete. We'll begin providing a series of announcements and a countdown for the switchover to the new chat code beginning a full week prior to that event.
Keep in mind the two static front page URLs for the Verandah are:
http://www.workingnet.com/Verandah/
and
http://dragon.minopher.net.au/interaction$/chat/
Peace and health,
Chris and Pat